Type-writing machine



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. E. PITCH.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

Patented July 20, 1886.

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E. FITCH. 7 TYPE WRITING MAOHINE.

No; 345,836; A Patented July 20, 1886.

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(No Model.) 4 sheets-411m 3. E. FITCH.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

N0. 345,836. v Patented July 20, 1886.

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4 Sheets Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

B. FITCH. TYPE WRITINGMAGHINE.

Patented July 20, 1886.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE FITCH, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 345,836, dated July 20, 1886.

Application filed January 13, 1886. Serial No. 188,397. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE FITCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, Polk county, State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinType- WVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to type-writing machines; and it consists of a series of type-carrying arms arranged in one plane, fitted and held 011 a common axis of rotation, and pro vided with lateral hinge-joints between their axis and their ends, the successive arms from the center to the end arms having an increasing lateral bond. The platen or paper-feeding roller is located in front of the type-arms, and a series of key-bars supported on a shaft be low the platen or paper-feeding roller, connected at their rear ends to the lower hinge part of the type-arms, and provided at their front ends with finger-pieces located in front of the paper-feeding roller. The type are so secured to the free ends of the type-arms as to strike, face down, onto the paper held on or controlled by the i'eedroller, so that each letter 01 character as printed is clearly in view, as in ordinary manual writing. The typearms as they descend are, by means of stationary side guides, directed toward the center of the machine, and the type on their ends caused to strike at one point or position of impression. Each type-arm is provided with two or more letter or character type arranged longitudinally thereon; and to cause them all to strike in one place the shaftor common axis on w llCll the type-arms rock is carried by a pivoted frame provided with a fingerpiece at the side of the machine, and by the manipulation of which the said shaftis moved toward or from the point of impression. The face of the type is supplied with ink from an ink-roller held in a' pivoted frame and nor mally located in the path of the type as they descend. Each type after receiving ink from the roller pushes it sidewise just before the impression is made, and thctype-arm as it as cends brings the ink-roller into normal position by striking a rod projecting from the pivoted frame in which theink-roller is held. The paper-controlling roller is held in a carriage fitted to slidelaterally on the main frame of the machine, and actuated by means ofa feed mechanism embracing a ratchet-wheel operated by a pawl pivoted to aspring-acting lever. This lever is raised by the typekeys, and also by an independent spacing-key. The pawl is moved clear of the ratchet-wheel when the space-k ey is depressed to its limit, and the carriage is then released and freely movable in either direction.

My said invention will be fully understood by reference now being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1,Sheet 1,is a plan View. Fig.2, Sheet 2, is a front elevation. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is avertical central section. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a detached front elevation of the guides, typearm, and inking device. Fig. 5, Sheet 4,is a part vertical section 011 the line or m, Fig. 3, looking toward the front of the machine; and Fig. 6, Sheet l, is a part horizontal section taken on line y y, Fig. 3.

The keys a a are arranged in two curvilin ear rows, the inner row being in a higher plane than the outer row. Thekey-bars a a, forming a part of the keys, or to which the keys are attached, are all supported and rock upon the shaft I), extending laterally through the main frame 0, and their rear ends, a (i are in one plane.

In the front of the frame 0 a series of slots are formed in which the front ends of the keybars a a are held free to move vertically. The type are carried at the ends of arms fitted to rock on the shaft (1, but without end-play, and each arm is composed of two pieces, 6 and 0, connected together by a hinge-joint, so that the parts a, to which the type are attached, are free to move laterally relatively to the parts 0 6, through which the shaft (1 passes, thus allowing the ty pe, when the arms are depressed, to strike at one position of impression, the arms having varying bends sidewise, to cause the type to occupy a central position when pressed down on the paper. The arms are in one plane when in normal positions, as shown at Fig. 3, resting against the stop-barf, which is provided with guide-pins f, and supported by the standards 0 c. The lower parts of the arms 6, where they are hinged to the parts 0', are made to fit close together when in normal position, each one acting as a guide to those adjoining, to direct them into their proper places between two of the guide-pins f of the stop-bar f, when they are raised after having been depressed. Links 9 9 connect the inner ends, if, of the key-bars a to the parts 6 e of thetypearms, thereby causing the arms to be moved down when the keys at are depressed, the reverse action being imparted to the arms or keys by the springs g 9, connected to the parts 6 e and a suitable part of the frame. The links 7 g are permanently pivoted to the parts 6 of the typearms; but the key-bars at a have a hooked connection to their lower ends, so that the key-bars may be easily put in place by hooking them over the ends of the links, placing their front ends in the slots in the front of the frame, and then passing the shaft 11 through all of them. The links g are guided, and the rear ends of the key-bars held in place, by the pins 9 9, Figs. 3 and 6.

As a means for guiding the type on the ends of the laterally-hinged arms 0 e to a common point or position of impression, two directingbars, h h, are arranged in front of the typearms by being fastened to the standards 0 c, projecting upwardly from the main frame. These directing-bars h h incline toward the center of the machine and downwardly, their front ends, h h, being bent vertically parallel, and between them the type-arms slide, and are guided laterally until they reach the vertical parts h h, and are then guided vertically down toward the paper before the type make impressions. The extreme lower ends of the parts h h join the bracing-fran'ie h, also con- 7 neeted to the standards a c.

To lessen the noise due to the type-arms striking the directing-bars h 71, said bars are faced with strips of a non-resonantmaterialas, for instance, vuleaniteas shown at If h; and to further provide for this I propose to place elastic or pliable washers between the j unctu res of the directing-bars h h and bracingframe h", with the standards 0 c. The stopbar f may also be covered with a non-resonant material.

One of the principal features of my invention is'the method by which two o r'more sets of letters or characters are printed by means of one set of keys and connected set of pivoted type-arms. This is carried out by placing on the end of each of the type-arms e a one type of each of the sets of letters or characters it is desired to employ. Three of such sets are shown in the drawings, the central type, i, printing the small letters, the outer type, i, the capitals, and the inner type, i the numerals, punctuation-marks, and other characters. These type, as before mentioned, strike face down on the upper surface of the paper, which is carried and controlled by mechanism hereinafter described, so that each letter is printed in full View of the operator.

To cause all the sets of characters to print on one line, the shaft (1, which carries the typearms 0 e, is so controlled and held as to occupy as many fixed positions in relation tothe from one position to another.

line of printing as there are sets of type to print from-in this case three. To accomplish this, the shaft d is held in the upper ends of the arms j of the frame 7', pivoted at 3' to the main frame 0. The center of oscillation of the pivots f is located as nearly as'possible in line with the ends a of the key-bars, to which the type-operating links 9 g are attached, so that a minimum amount of motion is imparted to the typearms e 0 when the shaft d is moved Said shaft, with the framej, is held in any 'of the three .positions by means of the spring-catch 70, secured to one of the standards 0, falling into the notches formed in the upper surface of one of the armsj. This spring-catel'i k is adj ustable on the standard 0, to provide means for correctly setting the type to strike at the right position on the platen. To operate this frame 3', a lever, Z, is pivoted on a projection at the front of the main frame 0, and has a pin, Z, which fits into a slot formed in the end of the arm 3", connected to or forming a part of the oscillating framej, and this lever Z is provided with keys Z Z, arranged, respectively, in linewith the outer and inner rows of type-keys (a when the shaft dis in its middleposition and the central small letter-type, z, are being printed from. By pressing on the key 1* the capital letters, and by pressing on the key Z the numeral and character type, are broughtinto position to be printed from.

As an improvement in the method of inking the type in this class of type-writing ma chines, the ink is applied to the face of the type, and from thence transferred to the paper, as in ordinary letter-press printing, instead of the type striking the impression through an ink-ribbon. A small ink-roller, m, held in the pivoted frame in, is located directlyin the path of the descending type when as the type-arm moves up, is again brought a into active position by the type-arm e striking the rod m, )rojecting from the framem. The frame m, in the upward position of the roller, is stopped by coming in contact with a part of the supporting-frame n, and at such point of contact is placed a non-resonant plug or washer to deaden the noise due to the work ing of this part of the machine. The inkroller holding-frame m is held in its supporting-frame n by means of a spring-bearing, it, thus admitting of the ready removal of the roller to be freshly supplied with ink, orthe substitution of another roller supplied with a different-colored ink. The ink roller occupies a definite position over the point of impression, and is of such length as to ink only the one of the three type of each arm, according to the position occupied by the shaft (1.

The mechanism for holding and controlling the paper Z consists of the cylindrical platen or roller 0, having bearings in the frame 1), which is provided with guide-pieces p p, fitted to slide in the transverse guides 11 p at taehed to the main frame 0. The cylindrical platen or roller 0 acts as a feed for the paper for linespacing, the paper being gripped be tween it and the small rollers 0 0, which are carried by the elastic supports q q, forming a part of the cylindrical paper-receiver q, attached to the laterally-sliding frame 1), just behind the roller 0. As the paper 2 passes from the rollers 0 0, it slides freely, and is rolled up in the receiver q, and to insure this rolling up of the paper without its oifering resistance I propose, when thought necessary, to apply a roller, q, to the interior of the receiver, and small rollers q" q, having bearings on and projecting through the top of the re ceiver, which is snfficiently elastic to cause said small rollers f to bear with ayielding pressure on the roller q, and the paper 2, as it passes from the cylindrical platen or roller 0 and rollers o, is gripped by the rollers q g, which are caused to rotate uniformly by the small belts q",eonuecting the rollers 0 and q". To rotate these rollers in starting the paper or for line-spacing, the ends of the shaft of the roller 0 are provided with milled heads 0 o",- and for accurate spacing small springacting levers 0" 0 pivoted to the frame 1) and provided with pawls which catch into the teeth of the ratchetwheels 0 o, secured to the ends of the roller 0,when the levers o are depressed, may be used.

To provide means for properly presenting the paper to the roller 0, and holding it clear of the keys a a, a split cylindrical paper-holdor, r, is attached to the frame 1) in front of the roller 0, by being pivoted thereto at its under side. 'Its free end 1" is held against or in close proximity to the roller 0, to guide the paper smoothly thereto, by means of the spring r which catches into a notch in the sector 1', secured to the shaft of the holder; and another notch is formed in this-sector, into which the spring catches to hold the holder away from the roller in the position shown by the dotted lines, Fig. 3, to admit of the paper z being readily placed in the machine,'whieh is done by allowing the edge of the paper to project a suffieient distance beyond or outside the free edge 1" of the holder 1', so that said edge of the paper will be gripped by the rollers 0 0 when the holder 1' is moved into position toward the roller 0. The cylindrical holder 1' is cut away at the ends to permit of the lateral adjustment of the paper therein, and a scale (shown in Fig. 1) may be marked on its free edger, to assist in setting the paper, and also to act as a guide for the lateral adjustment or setting of the paper-controlling device in relation to the guides h, down which the type descend.

The spacing of the letters in the line of printing is performed through the medium of the frame .9, fitted to work on the shaft 1), outside the keybars a a, and extending by the part 8 over the top of the rear end of the bars a a, and by the part 8 under the bars aa' in front of the shaft I), each bar a, as it is depressed by its key a, actuating said frame 8 by carrying the part s down with it.

Located over the part a of the frame sis the lever t, pivoted at one end to a projection from one of the standards 0, and having an adjustable contactscrew, t, against the bottom end of which the parts of the frame 8 bears. This lever t carries a pawl, t, arranged to catch into one of the teeth of the ratchetwhcel a, and partly rotate the wheel when the lever t is pressed down by the spring i, hearing on its upper sur aee after the lever has been raised up by the frame 3.

Motion is imparted to the paper-carrying frame 1) through the medium of the rack 12, attached to it, and the pinion o, secured to the shaft u, to which shaft the ratchet-wheel a is secured, said shaft having bearings in the frame 0.

To prevent the frame 1) from moving beyond the desired distance for the proper spacing of the letters, which is determined by the number of teeth in the ratchet-wheel a and the pinion o, the stop #{attached to or forn1- ing part of the lover I, is so arranged that when the lever t is depressed it falls in front of one of the teeth of the stop-ratchet wheel a secured to the shaft a, whose teeth are placed reversely to those of the feed-ratchet a. This same feeding or spacing mechanism is utilized to move the paper laterally for word-spacing by the bar 10', fitted on the central part of the shaft 1), coming in contact with the bar 8 of the frame .9, when it is depressed, which is done by the key 10 on its outer end, conveniently placed in the center of the inner row of keys, a. The springw holds this bar and key up when the spacing mechanism is actuated by any of the keys a (1. Upon pressing down the key 10 to its full extent the pawl t" and step t are moved up clear of their respective ratehetwheels, leaving the paper-carrying frame 1) free to be moved in either direction laterally. The lat eral movementof the frame 1) is limited by the stop-block c, projecting from or attached to the main frame 0, against which the ends of the frame 1) strike.

The bell h", attached to the bracing-frame If, is rung by the stud Ir, adj ustably clamped on the wire or red It, secured on the top of the paper-receiver q.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination, a series of type-carrying arms arranged in one plane, having a common axis of rotation and provided with hingejoints between their axis and their ends, the successive arms from the center to the end arms having an increasing lateral bend, substantially as set forth.

2. A- series of type-arms composed of two pieces laterally hinged together, the parts so hinged being placed and held in juxtaposition on a shaft passing through one of the sets of pieces, the sides of the laterally-moving arms or parts to which the type are attached acting as guides to cause an operated arm to resume its normal position in the common plane, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a series of laterallyhinged type-arms arranged in an upwardlyinclined plane and pivoted in juxtaposition on a common shaft, and type secured to their free ends, an impression platen or roller located in front of the type-arms, directingguides located in front of the type arms, to cause the type to strike in one position of impression, and a stopbar provided with guide-pins, between which the type-arms are held in one plane and from which the typearms are entirely clear before they come in contact with the directingguides, substan tially as set forth.

4. In combination, a series of arms carrying type at their ends, having a common axis of rotation and provided with hinge-joints between their axis and their ends, a series of bars provided with keys or finger-pieces and held on one shaft, and links connecting the rear ends of thekey-bars to the pivoted parts of the type-arms, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination, a series of arms carrying type at their ends, having a common axis of rotation and provided with hinge-joints be arms are pivoted, so as to cause all the type to strike on one line, substantially as set forth.

7. In a type-writing machine, in combination, a series of arms pivoted on a common horizontal shaft and provided with type on their free ends, arranged and operated to cause the type to strike face down on the upper exposed surface of the paper, direet-ingguides located in front of the arms, inclined downwardly toward the center, with their ends arranged vertically parallel, between which the type-arms pass, and an ink-roller held in a pivoted frame and located in front of the vertical parallel ends of the directing-guides, so

as to be struck by a descending type and be moved out of the path of the same, substantially as set forth.

8. In a type-writing machine, in combination, aseries of arms pivoted on a common horizontal shaft and provided with type on their free ends, arranged and operated to cause the type to strike face down on the upper exposed surface of the paper, directing-guides located in front of the arms, inclined downwardly toward the center, wit-h their ends arranged vertically parallel, between which the type-arms pass, an ink-roller held in a piv-- oted frame and located in front of the vertical parallel ends of the directing-guides, so as to be struck by a descending type and be moved out of the path of the same, and an arm or rod projecting from the pivoted ink-roller frame and extending over the type-arm in its path when the ink-roller has been moved out of the path of the type, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination, a series of laterallyhinged type-arms pivoted on a common shaft and a number of type secured to their free (,0

ends, an impression platen or roller, movable bearings constructed and operated to move the common shaft on which the type-arms are pivoted, so as to cause all the type to strike on one line,and an ink-roller held'in a pivoted 9i framein the path of the type, said roller being of such a length as to be struck by one type only, substantially as set forth.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with a platen or paper holding and 10 feeding roller, of a cylindrical paper-holder located in front of the platen or roller,pivoted to the roller-frame and held in either of two positions by means of a spring-catch, in one position with its free edge in juxtaposition to the roller to guide the paper thereto, and in the other position with its free edge away from the roller, substantially as set forth.

11. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with a platen or paper holding and no feeding roller, of a cylindrical paper-receiver located behind the roller and a set of snrall rollers having springbearings on or attached to the free edge of the paper-receiver and? resting on the holding and feeding roller with r 15 a yielding pressure, substantially as set forth.

12. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with a platen or paper holding and feeding roller, of a cylindrical paper-receiver located behind the roller and a set of small rollers having spring-bearings on or attached to the free edge of the paper-receiver and resting on the holding and feeding roller with a yielding pressure, a roller located in the cylindrical paper-receiver connected to and ism, the lever carrying an actuating and a I detent pawl, and the frame for lifting said wheel, to cause the frame to feed forward, a

ratchet-wheel with its teeth reversed, and a r5 projection on the lever catching therein to limit the movement of the frame, and means for giving an up and down movement to the lever, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 20 my hand at New York, county and State of New York, this 12th day of January, 1886.

' EUGENE FITCH. Vitnesses:

H. D. WrLLLmIs, CHAS. L WArsoN. 

